Knockdown crated carton



April 20, 1943. w. c. GEORGE ETAL KNOCKDOWN CRATED CARTON Filed Oct. 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 20, 1943. w. c. GEORGE ETAL KNOCKDOWN CRATED CARTON Filed Oct. 26, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III 'IIII/ 0/ Patented Apr. 20, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT: "oi FlcE KNOCKDOWN CRATED' CARTON Walter'C. George, St. Louis, and Frederick R. Buhrmaster, Webster Groves, ,Mo., assignors to Gaylord Container Corporation, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Maryland H v V Application October 26, 1940, Serial No. 362,980

' Claims.

This invention relates to shipping containers, particularly knockdown crated cartons. it has for its principal objectsto devise a simple and inexpensive lightweight shipping container of the above type which can be conveniently shipped in knockdown condition in the form of a compact package and-quickly and easily assembled into a crated carton which is strong and rigid, particularly at the corners and edges, and in which the carton material is well protectedby the crating. The invention consists in the .knockdown crated carton and in the parts andcombinationsand arrangements of parts hereinafter. described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a knockdown crated carton embodying our invention,

Figs. 2 and 3 are elevations of two adjacent sides of said carton,

Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections 4-4 and 55, respectively, in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged horizontal cross section on the line6-6 in Fig. 3, Y

Figs. '7 and 8 are perspective views looking at opposite sides of one of the end closure members orsections of the carton,

on the lines Fig. 9 is a perspective view of one of the corner keys of the carton,

Fig. 10 is an edge view of the knocked down body section of the carton,

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary side elevational view,

showing a modified arrangement for securing together the corner cleats fixed to the ends of the set-up side wall section of thecarton; and

Fig. 12 is a horizontal cross-section on the line I2 I2 in Fig. 11. v I

Our knockdown crated carton comprises a teetangular strip A of corrugated board,.fiberboard or like material that is bent along three parallel score lines and its free ends brought together'to' form the four side walls of the carton. .Secured fiatwise to the outer face of thestrip A along the end margins thereof are corner cleatsor slats I and 2, respectively. The securing means for thecorner cleats I and 2 preferably comprisesstaples 3v that are driven through the strip A from the.

inner side thereof into said cleats. The cleat 1.. extends beyond the end of the strip A and across the outer edge of the cleat 2. and terminatesfiush I with the outer side face of the latter. The.outer vertical edge of the cleat 2 has a. tongue 4. along the inner corner thereof .that fits. into .a. corre-v sponding-gropve 5 in the adjacent. or .opposing;

inner side face of the cleat I. The corner cleats may be secured together by gluing the tongue 4 of the cleat 2 in the groove 5 of the cleat I and/or by nails 6 that are driven through the cleat I into the cleat 2. As shown in the drawings, the cleat 2 terminates flush with the upper and lower edges of the strip A; and the cleat I extends above and below said edges of said strip.

Each of the three remaining corners of the carton is stiffened, strengthened and protected by means of upright wooden cleats or slats I and 8.

The corner cleat 1 is secured flatwise to the outer:-

face of one side wall of the carton with its outer vertical edge spaced from the corner thereof; and the other cleat 8 is secured fiatwise to the outer side face of theother side wall of said carton and" I extends outwardly beyond said firstmentioned 1 side wall with its outer vertical edge disposed in flush alinement with the outer side face of the cleat I. The projecting outermarginal portion of the cleat 8 has a longitudinal groove 9 formed in the inner side face thereof, the inner side wall of this groove being substantially flush with theouter side face of the side wall to which the cleat l is secured. The cleat is rabbeted, as at I0, along the inner corner of its outer vertical edge,

the latter. As shown in I terminates flush with the upper and lower edges of the side wall to which it is secured; and the cleat 8 extends above and below the side wall to which it is secured. I

The rabbeted edge of the grooved margin of the cleat 8 and the side wall to which the cleat 1 is secured cooperate to form an undercut or T-sh'aped vertical groove between said cleats adapted to slidably receive a key member in the form of a wooden strip I2 of substan-. tially T-shaped cross section. This key strip has, a wide inner portion I 3, which bears flatwise.

againstthe outer face of the side wall to which snugly fits the rabbet I0 of saidstrip andthegroove 9 of the strip 8,

the cleat 7 is secured and and a narrower outer portion I4, which snugly fits lthevspace between said cleats outwardly of said rabbet and groove and has its outer side face dis posed flush with the, outer side face of the. cleat, 1 and the outer edge of the cleat 8. The key strip I2 is of the same-length as the cleat I and terminates flush with the upper and lower ends thereof.

The corner cleats I and 8 are secured to the corrugated board strip A preferably by means of staples strip fromthe I5 that. are driven through said inner side thereof into said cleats.

cleat l and By the arrangement described, the corner defined by the free ends of the corrugated board strip A and the cleats l and 2 secured thereto is held square by the tongue and groove joint between said cleats, while each of the three remaining corners is held square by the engagement of the key strip I2 with the groove H between the corner cleats I and 8. At the same time, these corner cleats serve as crating which stifiens, strengthens and protects the weaker carton material.

The carton is provided with duplicate top and bottom closure members B, each comprising a rectangular piece 18 of corrugated board, fiberboard or like material having wooden slatsor cleats that are secured flatwise to one face or surface thereof flush with the edges thereof and cooperate to form a rigid edge'frame l1 that snugly fits within the rectangular body formed by the corrugated board strip A. If desired, the

side walls of the carton may be glued or otherwise secured to the outer edge of the edge frame l1. Secured flatwise to the other face or surface of each corrugated board closure member it along two opposite margins thereof are wooden cleats l8 that extend beyond said closure and terminate flush with the ends of the long corner cleats l and 8. One of the cleats i8 is disposed with its outer side edge in abutting relation to the inner side faces of the projecting'ends of the corner cleats I and 8 onone side wall of the car ton and with its projecting ends secured to the ends of adjacent corner cleats 2 and 1 and terminating fiush with the outer'side faces thereof. The other closure cleat I8 is disposed with its outer side edge-in abutting relation to the inner side faces of the corner cleats Son the oppositev sidewall of said carton with its projectingends secured to the ends of adjacent cornercleats I and terminating flush with the outer side surfaces thereof. As shown in the drawings, the outer side edges of the cleats l8 extend slightly beyond the edge of the closure so as to seat against the longitudinal edge of the adjacent side wall of the carton. The closure members'B are secured in place preferably by means of wood screws [9 which extend through the projecting ends of the cleats l8 and are threaded into the ends of the corner cleats 2 and I abutting there-,.

against. The edge frame I! of each end closure [6 is secured thereto preferably by nails 28 that said frame and end closure said cleats are driven through into the cleats l8 and thus also secure to said end closure.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a modified arrange; ment for connecting the corner cleats together at the ends of the strip A. In this construction,

the corner cleat 2a has dowels 4a projecting from the outervertical edge thereof that fit in holes a provided therefor in the adjacent face of the corner cleat la. The corner cleats Ia and 20., like the corner cleats l and 2, may be secured together by glue and/or-nails 6.

The hereinbefore describedknockdown crated carton has several important advantages, the cleats along the top and bottom edges andvertical corners ofthe carton cooperate to form a crating therefor and thus serve to protect the carton material from injury and also serve to strengthen and stiffen the cartonboth horizontally and vertically and assist the closure membars in preventing the carton from being thrown outof square. The cleated body forming strip A is made of a single piece ofcorrugated board with only three score-lines and, as shown inFig;

thus formed are separated leaving a space there-,

between but this space or groove II is closed by the locking Strip l2 which tends to hold said corner cleats at right angles to each other and the corner square. The corner formed by the two ends of the strip A is held rigid by the connected corner cleats I and 2 or Ia and 2a fixed to said ends. The top and bottom closures are strengthened and stiffened by the cleats thereof and are quickly and easily secured in position by securing the projecting ends of the cleats Hi to the ends of adjacent vertical corner cleats, these projecting ends prevent endwise displacement of the key strips l2.

Obviously numerous changes maybe made without departing from the invention and we do not wish to be limited to the precise construction shown.

What We claim is:

1. A knockdown crated carton comprising a rectangular body made of a single strip ofcorrugated board, fiberboard or the like scored along three lines and bent along'said lines and its free ends brought together to form said rectangular body, cleats secured to saidfree ends of said strip and secured together at the corner formed the outer face of the portion of the body strip therebetween.

2. A knockdown crated carton comprising a rectangular body made ofa single strip of 'corrugated board, fiberboard or the like scored along three lines and bent along said lines and its free ends brought together to form said rectangular body, cleats secured flatwise to the outer face of said strip at the free ends thereof and having overlapped interfitting portions secured together at the corner formed by said ends, and two cleats secured fiatwise to the outer face of said strip parallel with and adjacent to each of said score lines, one of said two cleats having its longitudinal outer side marginal portion disposed out wardiy beyond the. corner defined by the bend at said score lineand the other cleat beingdisposed with its longitudinal outer side edge spaced inwardly from said longitudinal outerside marginal portion, said longitudinal outwardly disposed outer side marginal portion and said longitudinal V inwardlyspaced outer side edge being shaped to provide an undercut space therebetweeri, and a slide strip snugly fitting said undercut space and covering-the outer face of theportion' of the body strip locatedopposite said space.

3. A knockdown crated carton comprising a" rectangular body made of a single strip of corru--' gated board, fiberboard or the like scored along three lines and bent along said lines and its free ends brought together to form said rectangular body, cleats secured flatwise to the outer faceof' said strip at the free ends thereof and secured together at the corner formed by said-ends, and

two .cleats securedz'fiatwise to the outerfac of;

said strip parallel with and adjacent to each of said score lines, one of said two cleats having its outer side edge disposed outwardly beyond the corner defined by the bend at said score line and the other cleat being disposed with its outer side edge spaced inwardly from said corner and with its outer side face disposed in substantial flush alinement with said outwardly disposed outer side edge of said first mentioned cleat, said inwardly spaced outer side edge of said other cleat and the opposing inner side face of said first mentioned cleat being shaped to provide an undercut space between said two cleats, a slide strip snugly fitting said undercut space with its outer side face in substantial flush alinernent with the outer side edge of said first mentioned cleat and the outer side face of said other cleat, and end closures secured to opposite ends of one of said two cleats in abutting relation to the corresponding ends of said slide strip.

4. A knockdown crated carton comprising a rectangular body made of a single strip of corrugated board, fiberboard or th like scored along three lines and bent along said lines and its free ends brought together to form said rectangular body, cleats secured flatwise to the outer face of said strip at the free ends thereof and secured together at the corner formed by said ends, and two cleats secured flatwis to the outer face of said strip parallel with and adjacent to each of said score lines, one of said two cleats having its longitudinal outer side marginal portion disposed outwardly beyond the corner defined by the bend at said score line and the other cleat being disposed with its longitudinal outer side edge spaced from said outer side marginal portion and said corner, said longitudinal outer side marginal portion and said longitudinal outer side edge having opposed longitudinal grooves therein, and a slide strip interposed between said longitudinal outer side marginal portion and said longitudinal outer side edge and having its longitudinal edge portions shaped to fit the opposed longitudinal grooves therein.

5. A knockdown crated carton comprising a rectangular body made of a single strip of corrugated board, fiberboard or the like scored along three lines and bent along said lines and its free ends brought together to form said rectangular body, cleats secured flatwise to the outer face of said strip at the free ends thereof and secured together at the corner formed by said ends, and two cleats secured flatwise to the outer face of said strip parallel with and adjacent to each of said score lines, one of said two cleats having its longitudinal outer side marginal portion disposed outwardly beyond the corner defined by the bend at said score line and the other cleat being disposed with its longitudinal outer side edge spaced from said longitudinal outer side marginal portion, said longitudinal outer side marginal portion and said longitudinal outer side edge having opposed longitudinal grooves therein, a slide strip interposed between said outer side marginal portion and said outer side edge and having its longitudinal edge portions shaped to fit the opposed longitudinal grooves therein, and end closures for said carton disposed in abutting relation to opposite ends of said slide strip.

WALTER C. GEORGE. FREDERICK R. BUHRMASTER. 

